When it comes to an Orange Coast/Santa Ana game, a 7-1 lead rarely means anything. That was the case again as the Dons lost to visiting Orange Coast College 11-8 despite leading 7-1 after two innings.
The Pirates (16-1-1, 4-0) scored first when Joel Licon reached on a walk before coming around to score on a fielder's choice by Bijan Rademacher. That lead, however, wouldn't last long for Orange Coast.
The Dons (12.4, 1-2) came back with a five-run first inning aided by a pair of Orange Coast errors. Blake Walker led the frame off by reaching on an error before reaching second on another error when JB Bryant hit into a fielder's choice.
Andy Peterson followed with a single to load up the bases before the Dons tied the game at 1-1 on a bases loaded walk issued to Tyler Madrid. Konnor Armijo then gave the Dons their first lead of the game with a bases clearing double that put the Dons up 4-1. Armijo eventually scored the fifth run of the inning on a RBI-single by Kyle Kuck.
After Coast was retired in order in the second, the Dons appeared destined for the same after the first two batters grounded out. But Peterson then reached on an error before Madrid hit a two-run home run to straight-away centerfield, extending the Dons lead to 7-1.
That would be, however, the Dons last offensive output until the eighth inning while the Pirates began their rally in the fourth inning. A solo home run by Stefan Sabol cut the Dons lead to 7-2 in the fourth inning.
Then, in the fifth inning, the first two batters were issued walks before back-to-back sacrifice hits advanced the runners and scored Ben Agredano to cut the Dons lead to 7-3.
Following the sacrifice fly, Chris Carlson hit a two-run home run that also plated Blake Hugaert and pulled the Pirates within two at 7-5.
A dropped third strike in the sixth inning allowed the Pirates leadoff batter to reach before Eilert Myers tied the game at 7-7 with his two-run home run. Rademacher also scored on the play.
The Pirates rally continued into the seventh inning as they sent eight batters to the plate, getting three runs on three hits. Carlson plated the go-ahead run with his RBI-double after getting the Pirates third-straight hit to open the inning.
Each team added a run in the eighth inning to get the final score to 11-8. Jed Vandernaald (4-0) got the win for the Pirates with two innings in relief. Keegan Yuhl earned his first save of the season as he pitched the final two innings.
Christian Uchytil (1-1) suffered the loss for the Dons after allowing three runs on three hits in one inning of relief work. Bruce Tolliver started the game for the Dons and got a no-decision after pitching four innings. He left the game with a 7-2 lead in the fifth inning while being responsible for two base runners. His final line was four runs, all earned, on two hits over four innings with four walks and four strikeouts.
